Knit a bit !!!

Hello my friends <3 
again it is been far too long since last time . This last month was quiet busy as I also had a small surgery and I am still recovering from it . Good thing : I have had plenty of time to figure out new knit stitches and I managed to knit some pieces . Lace knitting was challenging but the outcome so worth it ! Even thou I saw charts all day long , even in the nights when I closed my eyes . Craftsy classes helped me a lot to improve my skills and they had a full month with 50% sale . Thanx Craftsy !!!!  Have a look on my projects . Hope you like them as much as I do ! 
This lace wrap is for my mom , before blocking 

Blocking it 

Finished !!!

This will be my favorite shawl ! The pattern is called LuLù by Anthony Casalena

the yarn is super soft , I used DROPS Babyalpaca/Silk 

This wrap is called TRIFECTA and it also from Anthony Casalena 

For this I used DROPS Cotton/Merino 

As you can see I was hard working :) and always in company with my sweetheart <3 who was watching every move 
Another obsession I have this days is eating plenty of pomegranate from my tree ! Eating it plain or in my breakfast ... so yummy !!!!!!

Well , that's it for now ! I hope you all have productive days as well . Have a beautiful day  Love , Hugs & XXX 

Summertime and the livin is easy ...is it ?

Hello my dear friends .....  my vacations are almost over , just a few days left and I am trying to get the best out of these last days . Summer is my favorite time of the year ( excluded heat waves ) . Why ? Well ...: 1. You don't have to wear many clothes  2. You can go to the beach  3. Summer nights are the best  4. You can choose over all the delish summer fuits 5. You have longer holidays....... and so on but there always be a BUT 
What I love - hate about Summer and vacations .... LOVE  waking up in the morning and looking straight to the moon 

 Lying on my hammock enjoying the sweet nothing 

 greek salad with fresh veggies from the garden and kalamata olives 

 picking fresh figs from my tree 

enjoying the sunset while drinking greek coffee 

quiet mornings at the beach 

marco enjoying nature 

 taking naps together 

as you can see , there are many many things I enjoy ...so let's get the the annoying ones 
                                                HATE
Why there are no such signs at the beach ???? WHY ????

 

(google image)

 parents getting mad , you know when they start shouting like :" Janni , Jaaaanniiii , don't go that deep into the sea . " " Marriiaaaaa , put on your hat . Marriiaaaaa " 

                                                (google image)
this little fellows .... spending all my money on anti mosquitos  sprays - creams-roll ons and whatever new magic stuff is on the market ....

(google image)

my favorite ....beach raquetes .... you know how it is when you just chill , dreaming , relaxing and bam there comes this killing ball ???? like you wake up in the middle of a war ? and this clac - clac - clac noice .... HATE big time !!!

BUT  nevertheless summer is and will be my favorite time of the year . And even thou I listed the hate things without them it wouldn't be a proper summer . 

Have a beautiful day eveyone 

Love , Hugs

& XXX 

Traveling with pets ...

Hello my dear friends .... August arrived and with it vacations !!! I am back home and just enjoying the easy livin :)  We finally ( Marco my puppy and me )  survived the long trip . From Thessaloniki to Athens it was fine , as we took our work bus and were traveling together with my colleagues . But from there to Klm we had to take the public one . I don't know if you know how difficult it was to carry a pet with you . Some years ago ( not many ) they just put them into the luggage and they did not care at all . Many of the poor little souls did not survived . So , good thing is that since some time the law changed and the bus company ( which is private ) had to also change the bad habbits . They now have to have specific schedules in which pets are allowed to travel in their box . For Marco it was the first time he ever saw a box . But he was just great . 

So when we arrived at the bus station we saw another box with an puppy in it . I was very lucky as next to me there was a lovely old lady which adored dogs . She did not stop talking to Marco and telling me her story of life , sweet little lady <3 . In the middle of out trip we picked up the inspecting officer and both puppies barked once . Like wuff and that's it . He started yelling that one dog has to go to the back side .... but we just did not took notice of him . As he finished checking the tickets he sat next to the bus driver and that's were the party begun . The driver started talking to him very loud , telling that when he saw the two dogs he just wanted to shout out and he got just sick from them . That he now has to disinfection the bus and it is all stinky ...... I really had to focus and stay calm cause I wanted to get over there and slap him . I would have loved to tell him that he should be the one to get an disinfection as he was stinky and dirty . A few bus stops before home he started yelling that we had to use a gag and that is were I could not hold myself anymore . No one had a problem with the dogs , all passengers were so friendly but unfortunatelly he was one from the beasts left . How can he be allowed to ride this specific *with pets jorney * ??? The law forces him to take pets but they should really control the drivers . As soon as we arrived I complained about him . They told me that unfortunatelly there are people like him and I just shouldn't pay attention but I do . And I will get things further .....  Anyways ... now we are in Paradise City , enjoying our vacations and the beautiful greek Summer with much food and relaxing hours at the beach .

Sadova beach 

Sadova beach 

Greek gemista 

Freshly picked tomatoes from the garden 

Have a beautiful day and for all of you being on vacations ...enjoy it !!! Love , Hugs & XXX

about clean eating ...2

After my disappointment over losing all my pictures in here I decided to make a fresh new start !  Lately I am searching a lot about clean eating and trying to make this part of my life . Of course I have my ups and downs but that's ok , I guess .  One think that is hard for me is dairy , means milk . I love milk ! Even thou I buy the 1,5 % fat one , lately almond milk takes most of the regular intake . BUT , I don't like it as much . Everywhere I read about how yummy almond milk is ...well , maybe it is just me and I get used to it but right now I treat myself with a half and half serving . Other than that there are a lot of delicious recipes on the internet about clean eating .  My favorite was the super clean and vegan chocolate cake ! Never thought that it would be this tasty and it is so easy to prepare .

 All you need is : 250 g grounded nuts ( hazelnuts , almonds - whatever suits you )  250 g dates or figs  70 g unsweetened cocoa powder  and  1/4 water  Put the dates or figs with water into the blender , mix till it becomes like a paste . Meanwhile mix the nuts with the cocoa powder in a bowl , insert the fig or dates paste , stir well . Put it into a tin and into the fridge .  You can eat it right away but I like it cold . Anyway , I like to try out new dishes and  of course having my cheat meals :) Here are some of my "clean" dishes  Quinoa Salad 

 Fresh spinach with quinoa 

 Oatmeal with cinnamon and frozen raspberries

 Dried fruit snack 

 Lettuce salad with soya beans and chicken 

My morning smoothie with rasberries , banana , apple , strawberries and spinach 

Any tips , recipes , infos are very welcome !!!! I hope you all have a beautiful day  as always  Love , hugs  & XXX

..all pictures lost..

Hello my dear friends ,  just a short note to tell that I've lost all pictures on my Blog . $#@ Blogger and Google should fix this asap . I wanted to hide my pictures from the Google+ - Picasa Album and thats what happened . All my pictures are lost . So pls be careful that something like this never happens to you . I am very mad but there is nothing I can do . 
Have a nice day everyone 
Love - Hugs  & XXX

about clean eating and crochet ... :)

Hello my dear friends <3  It's been too much time since I last bloged .... I just realized   But work / exams / seminars keeps me very busy with almost no access to the internet that is why I instagram more often . So go ahead and follow me on instagramm @juliasblog :)  Well , summer is already here and I try to do something for a healthy toned body . As I already told you I try to do some walks / workouts ( not enough this past month ) and eat as clean as I can . We bought the Smoothie 2go Blender from Kenwood and it is the best !!!! Every morning I am preparing my smoothie . I am obsessed with apple/banana/strawberry/rasberry and spinach . It keeps me full till lunch ! Also a lot of herbal teas , in the morning pu erh tea and through the day cold fruit with mint teas . They are so delicious and energizing. Last week I made my favorite snack which is dried apple slices . I can't find them here in Greece and waiting fror my Mom sending them from Germany takes too much time . They were yummie BUT ...it takes a loooong time to dry them out . I put them into the oven at 50 degrees for about 6 hours ! Next time I will hang them onto a string for a couple of days . 
Fav smoothie , dried apple slices , favorite teas 

walking and some fitness 

marco got a haircut 

what I see during my walks ... no filters 

My new passion and stress control is crochet . It is so relaxing and you can make beautiful things . My first project was this T-Shirt . I sew the lace on the back and cut the fabric out . 

Second project and I am very proud of .... my vest ! What do you think ???

I hope you all have a beautiful day ....full of Sunshine - Love & Happiness Hugs & XXX